shepard



(No Model.) v I H. G. SHEPARD.

METHOD OF MAKING WOODEN RIMS FOR BIOYOLE WHEELS.

No. 538,541. Patented Apr. 30, 1895.

9 H Z 4 J I f i? "i il ifl Z g? UNTTE STATES HARVEY SHEPARD, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO H. G. SHEPARD 85 SONS, OF SAME PLACE.

METHOD OF MAKING WOOD EN RIMS FOR BICYCLE-WHEELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 538,541, dated April 30, 1 895.

Application filed December 22, 1894- Serial No. 532,707. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARVEY G. SHEPARD, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new 5 Improvement in Methods of Making Wooden Rims for Bicycle-Wheels; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a IO full,clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1, a plan view of a blank rim-strip, such as may be employed in carrying out my improved method; Fig. 2, a view thereof in transverse section; Fig. 3, a plan view of the molded rim-strip; Fig. 4, a view thereof in transverse section; Fig. 5, a plan view of the filling-strip; Fig. 6, a view thereof in transverse section; Fig. 7,a view in transverse section showing the filling-strip in place in the concave outer face of the rim-strip, and also showing the metal binding-strip which is employed for holding the filling-strip in place during the operation of coiling; Fig. 8, a view showing the molded rim-strip and the fillingstrip after they have been coiled; Fig. 9, a broken plan view showing the abutting ends of the molded rim-strip after the same has o been coiled and the filling-strip has been removed; Fig. 10, a similar view showing the said ends after their outer faces have been recessed; Fig. 11, a view in longitudinal sec-- tion showing the blank joint-piece inserted into the said recesses; Fig. 12, a similar view showing the joint-piece after it has been finished by cutting it away to conform its outer face to the concave outer face of the rimstrip; Fig. 13, a view of the joint-piece and rim-strip on the line a b of Fig. 12.

My invention relates to an improved method of making wooden rims for bicycle-wheels, the object beingto produce at acomparatively low cost for manufacture, a rim of superior 5 strength and durability.

With these ends in view, my invention consists in a method comprising certain steps which will be hereinafter recited and pointed out in the claims.

5 In carrying out my invention, I first take a blank strip A, of suitable length, and size in cross-section, and mold the same in a molding-machine of any approved construction for producing the molded-strip B, which, as seen in Fig. 4, has a convex inner face I), and a 5 concave outer face I). I do not, however, limit myself to molding the strip in the exact form shown, as both its inner and outer faces may be varied in shape, though theinner face of the strip will always be convex in general form, and the outer face concave. Within the long concavity b which extends throughout the length of the strip, I place a filling strip 0, corresponding to the length of the molded strip B, and to the blank strip A, having its 6-, inner face convexed to conform to the concave outer face of the molded strip, and having its outer face made flat, and so as to be fiush with the outer edges of the molded strip, when in placetherein,asshownin Fig.7. The molded and filling strips thus combined, are then subjected to a coiling operation, which is effected in any suitable machine, such, for instance, as shown in the application made by me under date of May 14, 1894, and serially numbered 511,161, patented January 29, 1895, No. 533,236. I do not limit myself to using that particular coiling or bending apparatus, but it is well'adapted for the carrying out of my invention. l/Vhether I use that apparatus or not, I shall preferably employ acoiling form D, having its outer periphery recessed to conform to the convex inner face I) of the molded strip; such a form as indicated in Fig. 7. I shall also, by preference, preparatory to coil- 8 ing the two strips, bend them upon a segmental bending forin D from which they will be drawn directly onto the main coiling form, D, and which is shown in cross-section in Fig. 7. Afterthe coiling operation has been completed, the filling strip is removed from the concaved outer face of the molded strip, the ends of which are then in abutment, as shown in Fig. 9.

It will be understood that the filling strip 5 is used over and over, and that its function is to prevent the molded strip from buckling orsplitting during the operation of coiling, at which time thefilling strip is held in place in the molded strip by means of the long sheet-metal binding strip D employed in coiling, and indicated in cross section in Fig. 7. After the molded strip has been coiled, its ends are joined in any suitable manner, but preferably as shown in Figs. 10 to 13 inclusive. In joining the ends of the strip as shown in those figures, each end of the strip has a tapering recess A formed in it, as shown in Fig. 10, these recesses aligning with each other, being deepest at their outer ends, and gradually tapering both in depth and width as they extend inward, and until they merge into the bottom of the concavity b in the outer face of the strip. A blank jointpiece E, is then placed over the abutting ends of the molded and coiled strip, its lower face being conformed in curvature to the recesses A A, which it fills. This blank joint piece is firmly glued into the recesses, and after the glue has dried, it is worked down, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, until its outer surface eX- actly coincides with the concave outer face of the strip. The finished joint'piece E therefore is concavo-convex in cross section, thickest at its middle portion, and tapers in thickness and width from its center each way to its ends.

It will be seen that a bicycle-rim produced in accordance with my improved method, is molded before it is coiled, and before its ends are joined, whereas ordinarily the blank strip is coiled, after which its abutting ends are joined, after which the molding is done. Obviously the molding may be done to greater advantage when the stock is in the strip, than after it has been coiled.

It will be understood, of course, that I do not limit myself to any particular instrumentalities for carrying out my improved method, although those shown in my application previously referred to are well adapted thereto. Nor doI limit myself to molding the strip exactly in the form shown, nor to employing the joint shown and described, although that joint I prefer to use. I would therefore, have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction set forth, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A method of making wooden rims for bicycle-wheels, consisting in first molding the rim-strip into concavo-convex or substantially concavo-convex cross section, then filling the concave outer face of the strip with a long filling strip, then combining the said rim and filling strips with a sheet-metal binding strap which engages with the fiat outer face of the filling strip, then coiling the combined rim and filling strips and strap upon a form which is recessed to receive the convexed inner face of the rim-strip, then removing the filling strip from the rim strip and joining the ends of the latter, substantially as described.

2. A method of making wooden rims for bicycle Wheels, consisting in molding the rim strip into concavo-convex or substantially concavo-convex cross section, then filling its concaved outer face with a filling strip, then combining the said rim and filling strips with a sheet-metal strap which is placed against the flat outer face of the filling strip, then coiling the rim and filling strips and strap, then removing the filling strip from the coiled rim strip, then forming recesses in the ends of the rim strip so as to extend below the concavity in the outer face thereof, then joining the said ends by the insertion of a joint-piece into the said recesses, and then cutting away the jointpiece to conform to the concaved outer face of the strip, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have s gned this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARVEY G. SHEPARD.

Witnesses:

' FRED O. EARLE,

GEO. D. SEYMOUR. 

